”Packed with jaw-dropping scenes of incredible wildness, it's the closest thing to a legal hallucinogen ever invented.”

Well, Mondo Macabro certainly wasn't kidding when they printed those words on the back of the DVD of The Devil's Sword. Within the first few minutes of viewing this Indonesian gem, I was having flashbacks of my college days. Well, except my college days (thankfully) didn't include viewing of not one, but two sacks, both man and horse. Of course, it's all a little hazy...

Scrotal inclusions notwithstanding, there's really quite a bit to love in The Devil's Sword. A product of the early Eighties sword-and-sorcery craze, which in turn was fueled by Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja, Dungeons & Dragons, etc., it stars Barry Prima as the noble Mandala, a mighty warrior who finds himself knee-deep in the wicked schemes of the lusty Crocodile Queen. The Queen has quite a taste for men, often taking multiple partners to bed simultaneously, which is shown to us an a seven-on-one smooch orgy that really needs to be seen to be believed. Where does she get her he-harem? Why, by going to the local villages to scoop up their most eligible bachelors. However, one young man has eluded her, for he is getting married. Angered that she is not receiving her proper “sacrifice,” she sends her henchman, the relentless Banyu Jaga, to break up his wedding and retrieve the soon-to-be groom.

Now, let's talk a little about Banyu Jaga. Played by Advent Bangun, he has what may very well be the most bad-ass introduction in cinematic history. Called from his meditation by the Crocodile Queen, the appears in an explosion (guess he comes outta meditation swinging), then proceeds to kick a boulder, which he then rides into the middle of the festivities below. Not satisfied with being tough enough to kick a boulder so hard it becomes his flying means of transportation, he then proceeds to slaughter the entire wedding party, severing heads with his dual scimitars (which he snips off of his victims shoulders with a scissoring action, or by chucking them like boomerangs) and kicking people skyward with furious kicks before pinning them to trees thirty feet up with spears. Seriously, this guy is the most ridiculous, most bad-ass mother around.

Well, until he meets Mandala. Despite his apparent lack of boulder-kicking ability, Mandala proceeds to wipe the floor with Jaga with a little help from the bride herself. Understandably pissed that her wedding is ruined, she goes from sweet, demure woman to high-kicking she-devil. Seriously, if you ever want to live a long life, don't ruin a woman's wedding. However, poor Mandala is soon ensnared by Jaga's crocodile-zombie henchman, allowing for Jaga to beat cheeks back to the Queen with her new boy-toy in tow.

But missing husbands are the least of their worries, for four evil warriors (including Banyu Jaga) are on the hunt for a legendary sword, The Devil's Sword, which will grant its bearer almost limitless might. The four evil warriors meet at the alleged hiding place of the sword, only to engage in battle over who shall possess it. Two words for ya on this one: battle royale. Within a few short minutes, insults are thrown about quite liberally (insults like “Daughter of a whore,” “polluted bitch-hound,” and “baldy.” Ouch.), blood is shed in great spurting gouts, the whip-wielding warrior hag (the aforementioned “polluted bitch-hound”) is chopped in half, reassembled, then decapitated before she explodes. Only Banyu Jaga is left alive (because he's bad ass) to try and claim the sword. Thankfully, Mandala claims it first, thus denying the Crocodile Queen her ultimate prize. Teaming up with the estranged bride, the two of them venture into the Queen's underwater lair to face her once and for all.

What one notices from The Devil's Sword is that, with a much larger budget, it could be considered a truly great film. The plot is rich with colorful characters, martial arts mayhem, and a rich mythology that could truly have made this a true classic in the genre. Thankfully, Rapi Films instead decided to shoot this on a meager budget with the most absurd set pieces they could muster. The crocodile men are very silly, ranging from dirty zombies cloaked in croc hides to half-man mutants which attack Mandala while he's on a raft commandeered by Death. Mandala decapitates one, whose head is tugged from his shoulders by an off-frame wire before the stump erupts in a hissing spray of gore. One of the evil warriors wields one hell of a weapon: a sort of coolie hat on a wire, which he uses to pop off the heads of his opponents. The Crocodile Queen, while making love to Banyu Jaga, actually turns into a crocodile...which Jaga then continues to bone! Dare I mention the wily cyclops whose single eye is made from a car headlight?

Absurdity aside, however, the fights are very well choreographed, with even the most outlandish acts coming across as cool. These duels really shine when Mandala and Jaga fight, as Barry Prima and Advent Bangun have a certain sort of “martial arts chemistry,” where the two each have a style that seems to complement each other. Despite some ridiculous edits later on in the film, in which each blocked kick or punch is promptly followed by a “hiccup” where the film was strangely cut and spliced, there's some great power in these sparring matches, and some great enjoyment for the viewer.

Keeping up with their sky-high standards, Mondo Macabro has put out yet another fantastic DVD. Despite some heavy print damage, the transfer was gorgeous, with well-defined action and bold colors. There were a few instances where bright reds seemed to “bleed” into the surrounding colors, but the overall effect is quite pleasing. Audio was a deliciously awful English dub, understandable yet unremarkable. Dialogue was clean and well-mixed, with all those awful canned sound effects sounding like they came off a dirty flexidisc. Extras on the disc include MM's usual (much appreciated) essays, trailers, and their new demo reel (which is getting almost absurd in its length now). Most interesting of all is a rare interview with Barry Prima, who has become a sort of recluse. The interview, conducted in a hotel lobby, is a victim of language barriers, in which Prima seems to have difficulties understanding his interviewer and formulating answers in English. However, it still manages to paint an interesting picture: that of an actor whose career came by solely through circumstance, and not through his pursuit of the craft. It's a very strange thing to watch.

Whenever the Monsters receive another screener from Mondo Macabro, it's usually the most heavily requested, and with damn good reason. These guys have been putting out some top-notch releases of fantastic world cinema. Just like almost every other release of theirs I've reviewed, this one comes with a hearty recommendation.